We just picked the boys up from their last day of preschool. In BigBrother’s case, it was his last day of preschool ever. I’ve been an emotional mess most of the morning, looking through old pictures and whining to FireDad: “Where have my babies gone?”
Despite all of that, these boys sure are cute. And they’ve grown this year. Changed. Learned — good things and bad.
I think, perhaps, the most mind-boggling comparison is to look at BigBrother on his first day of preschool ever in August 2008. I seriously shed a few tears.
I still see that little, teeny-tiny boy in the bigger version. The head tilt. The sparkle. But he’s grown — so much — in the past three years. He was reading to me this morning while we were all getting ready and I just wanted to put some bricks on his head and yell, “SLOW DOWN! I can’t handle the speed at which we are progressing through your life! YOU ARE MAKING ME SAD!” But I helped him sound out “first” before telling him to brush his own teeth. And sighed, yet again.
And knowing that LittleBrother is on the same fast track makes me flip out just a little. I can’t believe the changes he has made this year, and I also want to put some bricks on his head and say, “QUIT TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR BROTHER! YOU WILL GROW UP FAST ENOUGH.” But I watch him put on his shoes and walk away. And I sigh. Again.
And now it is summer in the FireHouse. We have a busy summer, full of travel and camping and vacations and all sorts of summery goodness. I don’t want to think about the fall just yet. So many changes will come this fall. I want to put bricks on this summer and say, “STAY. FOR JUST AWHILE LONGER.” But it won’t. It will fly by.
Just like preschool did.
